sábado, 19 de enero de 2008
Adjective
What Is An Adjective?
An adjective modifies a noun or a pronoun by describing, identifying, or quantifying words. An adjective usually precedes the noun or the pronoun which it modifies.
In the following examples, the highlighted words are adjectives:
- The truck-shaped balloon floated over the treetops.
- Mrs. Morrison papered her kitchen walls with hideous wall paper.
- The small boat foundered on the wine dark sea.
- The coal mines are dark and dank.
- Many stores have already begun to play irritating Christmas music.
- A battered music box sat on the mahogany sideboard.
- The back room was filled with large, yellow rain boots.
Comparason Of Adjetives
2) adjectives with two syllables and the following endings:
2 - 1) adjectives with two syllables, ending in -y
2 - 2) adjectives with two syllables, ending in -er
2 - 3) adjectives with two syllables, ending in -le
2 - 4) adjectives with two syllables, ending in -ow
B - Comparison with more - mostdifficult - more difficult - (the) most difficult
all adjectives with more than one syllable (except some adjectives with two syllables - see 2 - 1 to 2 - 4)
C - Irregular adjectives
D - Special adjectives
Some ajdectives have two possible forms of comparison.
Difference in meaning with adjectives:
Adverb
What is an Adverb?
An adverb can modify averb, an adjective, another adverb, a phrase, or a clause. An adverb indicates manner, time, place, cause, or degree and answers questions such as "how," "when," "where," "how much".
In the following examples, each of the highlighted words is an adverb:
- The seamstress quickly made the mourning clothes.
In this sentence, the adverb "quickly" modifies the verb "made" and indicates in what manner (or how fast) the clothing was constructed.
- The midwives waited patiently through a long labour.
Similarly in this sentence, the adverb "patiently" modifies the verb "waited" and describes the manner in which the midwives waited.
- The boldly spoken words would return to haunt the rebel.
In this sentence the adverb "boldly" modifies the adjective "spoken."
- We urged him to dial the number more expeditiously.
Here the adverb "more" modifies the adverb "expeditiously."
- Unfortunately, the bank closed at three today.
In this example, the adverb "unfortunately" modifies the entire sentence.
ADJECTIVES/ADVERBS
Adverbs tell us in what way someone does something. Adverbs can modify verbs, adjectives or other adverbs.
Adjectives tell us something about a person or a thing. Adjectives can modify nouns or pronouns.
Adjective + -ly
Tip: Not all words ending in -ly are adverbs.
adjectives ending in -ly: friendly, silly, lonely, ugly
nouns, ending in -ly: ally, bully, Italy, melancholy
verbs, ending in -ly: apply, rely, supply
There is no adverb for an andjective ending in -ly.
Preposition
What is a Preposition?
A preposition links nouns, pronouns and phrases to other words in a sentence. The word or phrase that the preposition introduces is called theobject of the preposition.
A preposition usually indicates the temporal, spatial or logical relationship of its object to the rest of the sentence as in the following example .
- The book is on the table.
- The book is beneath the table.
- The book is leaning against the table.
- The book is beside the table.
- She held the book over the table.
- She read the book during class.
Prepositions of place and direction
Noun
What is a Noun?
A noun is a word used to name a person, animal, place, thing, and abstract idea. Nouns are usually the first words which small children learn. The highlighted words in the following sentences are all nouns:
- Late last year our neighbours bought a goat.
- Portia White was an opera singer.
- According to Plutarch, the library at Alexandria was destroyed in 48 B.C.
Philosophy is of little comfort to the starving.
The bus inspector looked at all the passengers' passes.
Countable nouns:
Most of the nouns are countable. You can combine them with numbers, e.g one, two or three. Here is an example:
- one pencil
Uncountable nouns:
These nouns can't be combined with numbers. Here is an example:
water
If you want to express a quantity, you have to use a special phrase e.g. a glass of water.
NOTE:Some nouns can be either countable or uncountable. We recommend to use a good dictionary. Here is an example, too. hair - hairs
You've got some hairs on your T-shirt. (There might be 5 or 6 of them.)Your hair looks lovely. (Here you think of the hairstyle.)
Singular: Add 's:
Examples:
Plural:
Add the apostrophe ' to regular plural forms:
Examples:
Add 's to irregular plural forms:
Examples:
If there are multiple nouns, add an 's only to the last noun:
Verb
What is a Verb?
The verb is perhaps the most important part of the sentence. A verb or compound verb asserts something about the subject of the sentence and express actions, events, or states of being. The verb or compound verb is the critical element of the predicate of a sentence.
In each of the following sentences, the verb or compound verb is highlighted:
- Dracula bites his victims on the neck.
The verb "bites" describes the action Dracula takes.
- In early October, Giselle will plant twenty tulip bulbs.
Here the compound verb "will plant" describes an action that will take place in the future.
- My first teacher was Miss Crawford, but I remember the janitor Mr. Weatherbee more vividly.
In this sentence, the verb "was" (the simple past tense of "is") identifies a particular person and the verb "remembered" describes a mental action.
Irregular verbs (most common)
